Changing your
IP address in
Windows XP
nowadays is not a bad idea. Every web site you visit can see your

IP address.

That you are using Windows XP.

What browser you are using.

The previous web site you were just at. (where you just came from).

and a lot more.

Changing your Windows XP IP address gives you privacy and anonymity on the internet.
Of course there are many other benefits to changing your Windows XP IP address
including

Using a proxy server to change your IP address the proxy server acts as an
internet filter protecting you from hackers, virus, and trojans.

If you have been banned or blocked from a web site changing your Windows
XP IP address will get you back in (just make sure you clear your cookies too)

Many websites prohibit the creation of multiple accounts such as Twitter
or article submission sites. Creating new accounts using different IP
addresses can be done. (make sure you clear cookies each
time when creating a new account)

Disconnecting and Reconnecting your Internet Modem

If you are a broadband Internet subscriber(cable or DSL) and have a separate stand-alone
modem you can unplug the modem, wait 30 seconds and then plug it back in. This
will force the modem to go out to the ISP again and get a new IP address.
Often times there will be a way to reset your IP address somewhere in the
modem's options but this varies by modem brand and ISP, and can often take
longer. This method of changing your IP in Windows XP is the least powerful
and least effective. Although this does cause your Windows XP machine to be
assigned a new IP address the IP address will still reside with the same
network provider and when you visit online locations like websites they will
still be able to see your true IP address, browser you're using, Windows
version you're using, etc.

Another method of changing your Windows XP IP address involves the use of
the command prompt. This method will only work if your ISP assigns you an IP
address dynamically. If your internet connection is cable this method will
not work in Windows XP. If your connection is dial up this method will work.
If you connection is DSL this may or may not work.

Go to a website that will tell you your current IP address like
whatismyip or
ipchicken.
Write down what your IP address is.

This will bring up the command prompt window.
At the prompt type "ipconfig /release"
(without the quotes, and with a space before the slash)
Press Enter on your keyboard.

Windows XP Command Prompt IPconfig /release

Wait about 30 seconds.

At the command prompt type "ipconfig /renew"
(without the quotes, and with a space before the slash)
Press Enter on your keyboard.

Windows XP Command Prompt IPconfig /renew

Wait another 30 seconds. Once again visit whatismyip or ipchicken to check your
WindowsXP IP address has changed. As a final step
clear your browser cookies
because this is another way websites can track you.

This method should not be used too often because it just may raise an eyebrow with your ISP.
A reason why this method for changing your IP address has the same limitations as the
"unplugging your modem" method and more.

More Powerful and Better Ways to Change your Windows XP IP Address

A more powerful way to change your Windows XP IP address is to do something that
causes your computer data transfers to go through a computer that's in a completely
different location in a different part of the country or even a different part of the world.
The computer you would use to route your Internet requests through is called a
proxy server.
There are a couple ways to accomplish this.

Find a list of proxy servers IP addresses and port numbers.
Open the Internet properties dialog box which is a slightly different
procedure depending upon which browser you use. From there you would select
use proxy server. You then enter a proxy
servers IP address and port number and click okay to close the dialog boxes.
The main thing you must consider when using this method is most
free proxy server IP
addresses provided on the Internet don't work or are extremely slow. There are
software programs out there dedicated to finding thousands of proxy servers on
the Internet and then testing each and every one of them for how fast they
are. The software programs would then provide you with a list of proxy server
IP address and port numbers that are fast and effective.
ProxyMultiply is such a program. Here is a specific
step by step example of
changing your IP address in Google Chrome.

Windows XP dialog box to surf through Proxy Server

Use a browser extension or add-on for changing your
IP address such as the
Geosurf toolbar.
With this method you download and install an add-on for your
particular browser. This add-on causes a new strip to be displayed at
the top your browser bar. Within this strip there would be a drop down
box with a list of different IP addresses or proxy servers. You select any
one of them and that browser is now surfing through that new IP address.
Your windows XP machine now has that new IP address as long as you are
using that web browser which brings us to the biggest downside to this method.
Your IP address will only be changed while you were using that specific browser
that has the add-on or extension attached to it.

A web based proxy server is a website that lets you surf the Internet
through their computer. This is accomplished via a text box on the web based
proxy server in which you enter the web address of the site you wish to
visit and click the surf button. Anywhere you go on the Internet once you
have done this will be through this website. Although this is a better way to
change your IP address in Windows XP than unplugging your modem and
plugging it back in there are some disadvantages to a web based proxy server.

This method often does not let you properly visit websites that have
forms on them. This is a website where you would be entering information in
text boxes such as article writing sites etc. This is because web based proxy servers often
strip out the scripting functionality required to be able to use the sites properly.

A lot of these web based proxy servers are loaded with tons of
advertisements and annoying pop up Windows at best and a good many of them
are responsible for the distribution of malware like viruses.

Here are two FREE web based proxy servers for Windows XP that are
established and can be trusted.

This is the most powerful method for changing your Windows XP IP address.
This method consists of using a software program to change your Windows XP
IP address. Usually the way these types of programs work is they are loaded with
IP addresses/proxy servers. You select any one of the proxy servers in the program
and click a button to start surfing the Internet through that proxy server.
The software program takes care of all the underlying details to accomplish this.

With this method you don't have to worry about viruses and malware and your
IP address will be changed no matter which method you use to connect with the
Internet. Meaning your IP address will be changed no matter which web browser
you're using or which software program you use to navigate the Internet.
Here are a few extremely popular software programs for changing your IP address
in Windows XP. With these type of IP changing tools for XP you can
change your IP
without restarting anything like your browser, router, etc.

WindowsFastIPChanger - A good
standalone software program for changing your Windows XP IP address that comes
with fresh, fast, working IP address and changes your Windows XP IP address with a
simple double click on any of the IP addresses is a program.